Knapsack jacket



Dec. 8, 1942"' l. KlRscHENBAuM KNAPSACK JACKET Filed Jan. 50, 1941 sA/lc /sc//EA/AUM INVENTOR. BY

AHORA/EMS.

Patented Dec. 8V, 1942 UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE KNAPSACK JACKET Isaac Kirschenbaum,.Middletown, Pa.

Application January 30, 1941, Serial No. 376,561

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to'improvements in garments and more specifically to a knapsack jacket or coat.

The main object of the invention resides in a jacket, coat, or like outer garment in whichl a knapsack is built. in the Iback thereof for thev carrying of light articles. A garment of this kind will be found useful by campers, motorcyclists, and hunters for the compact carrying of wearf ing apparel, foodstuffs, cooking utensils and the like. The invention may also be embodied in miliary jackets and coats for soldiers in the eld, for parachutists for the carrying of parachutes and other paraphernalia, and in the uniforms of the Boy Scouts and like hiking and camping organizations.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a knapsack permanently built in, the back of a garment in a manner to support articles placed therein without undue sagging and tearing under the weight of the carried load.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a jacket or coat having a knapsack at the back thereof which fits fiat against. the back of the wearer when the knapsack is empty, and which is capable of outward expansion when articles to be carried are placed therein to increase the capacity lthereof and prevent discomfort to the wearer.k y

A still further feature of the invention is to provide a garment having a knapsack built in the ba-ck thereof which includes a relatively wide entrance opening across the top of the knapsack pocket to facilitate easy packing of the knapsack when the garment is off the wearer, and which also has an auxiliary opening at oneside which is accessible to the wearer when the garment is being worn whereby access to the knapsack pocket is possible without removing the garment, both openings being normally closed by releasable fasteners tc prevent -loss of the contents from the knapsack pocket.

Other features of the invention will become apparent as the following specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a rear elevation of a jacket or coat constructed in accordance with the invention, certain parts being folded back to reveal underlying parts, and a portion being broken away.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional View on the line 2 -2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional View on the line 3 3 of Figure l.

the garment equipped with auxiliary pocket s upporting straps.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, the numeral. Ill designates a jacket,y coat or like outer garment constructed in accordance with my invention, and which garment includes the usual back II, shoulder portions I2,-I2,` and slevees I3--I4. The general construction offthe front of the jacket is conventional, and thev jacket may be constructed of fabric, leather, combination of fabric and leather, or may be of-rainproof material. Secured to the back .I I of the garment body is arsubstantially rectangular shaped knapsack forming pocket piece I4 which is. of a width to extend substantially the width of the back, II and of a height to extend from a point just below the shoulders I2-I2 to a point in the region of the waist of the garment. The pocket forming piece I4 may be made of the same material from which the coat is constructed, or of a contrasting material, such as canvas, duck, Aor the like. The opposite side edges of the pocket forming piece I4 converge downwardly so as to fit within the confines of the back II and the edges of the pocket forming piece I4 are secured to the back II by infolding plaits, the side plaits being designated I5-I5, the bottom plait I 6, and the tcp plait I 1. The plaits are respectively connected to the pocket forming piece I 4 by stitching I8 and to the back II of the garment body by stitching I9.

The top edge of the piece I4 is also secured to the back I I by means of a pair of short elastic straps 2li-20 which act to prevent the top of the piece I4 from dropping down, thus holding it close to the back II and which elastic strap also resiliently supports the top of the pocket forming piece I4 under the weight of articles placed in the pocket P which is formed by the piece I4, back 'I I, and the connecting plaits I5-I5, I6, and I1.'-

The pocket forming piece I4 is split crosswise adjacent its top edge to provide a main pocket opening 2|, vwhich opening is normally closed by a slide fastener device 22 or other equivalent fastener. The Opening ZI eXtendS Substantially the width of the pocket adjacent the top thereof to facilitate easy access to the pocket P when the garment is off a wearer. For preventing leakage of rain water through the pocket opening 2|, there is provided a protector flap 23, the same being stitched to the back I I along the line of stitching 24. The flap 23 is of a length slightly greater than the length of the slit vor Figure 4 is a rear elevational view illustrating 55 opening 2l and depends below the plane of the slit so as to completely overlap the slit and conceal the slide fastener device 22.

When the jacket or garment ID is in position upon a wearer, it will be appreciated that the arms of the wearer could not reach rearwardly into the pocket P through the opening 2l. To avoid the necessity of removing the garment, one of the Side plaits I5 and in this instance I have shown the right side plait I5 as being provided with an auxiliary entrance opening 25 which extends vertically of one fold of the plait and is normally closed by a slide fastener device 3l or other equivalent fastening means. By positioning an auxiliary entrance opening at one side of the knapsack pocket P, it is possible for the wearer to reach rearwardly, actuate the slide fastener device 3| and reach into the pocket P when access thereto is desired.

In order to reinforce the knapsack pocket P to reduce the weight of the load to prevent undue sagging when the pocket is loaded, and give added comfort to the wearer, I stitch a pair of spaced non-elastic straps 26-26 to the back II within the pocket P, the stitching being designated 21. The top ends of the straps 25--25 terminate adjacent the shoulders I2-I2 whereas the lower ends are secured at the bottom plait I5.

In Figure 4 of the drawing, I have illustrated auxiliary supporting straps which may be employed if desired for holding the knapsack pocket close to the garment back II. For this purpose, buckles 28 are concealed within the bottom plait I6 and have one end of supporting stra'ps 29-29 respectively secured thereto. The straps 29-29 extend upwardly in diverging relation and have knapsack pocket P. Also, apparel such as blan- A.

kets, raincoats and other like articles may be secured against the pocket by means of the straps From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a jacket, coat, or like outer garment, in which a knapsack pocket is built in the back of the garment, the same being strongly constructed to withstand the weight of articles Vsuch as camping equipment, cooking utensils, ar-

ticles of food or the like which are generally carried by hikers, campers, motorcyclists, and other outdoor enthusiasts, as well as by soldiers and parachutists.

' While I have shown and described what I consider to be the most practical embodiments of my invention, I wish it to be understood that such changes in construction, design, and material, as come within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A jacket or like garment having a body porrtion, a pocket member, plaits connecting all the ,edges of the pocket member to the exterior of kthe back of the body portion by stitching, said pocket member having an opening extending across the top thereof, and releasable closure means for closing said opening.

2. A jacket or like garment having a body portion, a substantially rectangular shaped pocket forming piece of flexible material of a width substantially equal to that of the back of the body portion and of a height to extend from below the shoulders to substantially the waist portion thereof, plaits connecting the top, bottom, and opposed side edges of the pocket forming piece to the back of the body by stitching to provide a pocket, said pocket having an opening therein for access to the interior thereof, and means yieldingly connecting the transverse mid-portion of the top plait to the rear of the body portion.

3. A jacket or like garment as set forth in claim 2, in which the aforementioned means includes elastic straps Yhaving their ends respectively stitched to the top plait and to the rear of the body to normally hold the plait at the top of the pocket in folded position and to yieldably support the top of the pocket from the body.

4. A jacket or like garment having a body portion, a substantially rectangular shaped pocket forming piece of flexible material of a width and length to fit over the back of the body portion from a point just below the shoulders to a point adjacent the waist portion thereof, plaits connecting all the edges of the pocket forming piece to the exterior of the back of the body portion and cooperating therewith to provide a pocket, a slit extending horizontally across the pocket forming piece adjacent the top thereof to provide an entrance opening to the interior of the pocket, one of the side plaits having a vertical slit therein constituting an auxiliary entrance opening, each of the entrance openings having a slide fastener device associated therewith for closing the same.

5. A jacket or like garment having a body portion, a substantially rectangular shaped pocket forming piece of flexible material of a width and length to fit over the back of the body portion from a point just below the shoulders to a point adjacent the waist portion thereof, plaits connecting all the edges of the pocket forming piece to the exterior of the back of the body portion and cooperating therewith to provide a pocket, a slit extending horizontally across the pocket forming piece adjacent the top thereof to provide an entrance opening to the interior of the pocket, a slide fastener device for closing said slit, a protector ap secured to the back of said body above the pocket forming piece and overlapping the entire length of said slit to conceal the slide fastener device and protect the entrance opening from the entry of rain water, and a pair of spaced supporting straps having their lower ends fastened within the plait at the bottom of the pocket and extending upwardly over the pocket and flap, and releasable fastening means for securing the top ends of the straps to the body portion adjacent the shoulders thereof.

6. A jacket or like garment having a body portion, a substantially rectangular shaped pocket forming piece of flexiblel material of a width substantially equal to that of the back of the body portion and of a height to extend from below the shoulders to substantially the waist portion thereof, plaits connecting the edges of the pocket forming piece to the back of the body by stitching to provide a pocket, said pocket having an opening therein for access to the interior thereof, vertical suspension straps stitched to the back of the body portion within the pocket and extending the length thereof with the lower ends stitched to the inner portion of the plait at the bottom of the pocket to support the pocket against the weight of the articles carried therein.

'7. A jacket or like garment having a body portion, a substantially rectangular shaped pocket forming piece of ieXible material of a width and length to fit over the back of the body portion from a point just below the shoulder to a point adjacent the Waist portion thereof, plaits connecting the edges of the pocket forming piece to extending horizontally across the pocket forming piece adjacent the top thereof to provide an entrance openingto the interior of the pocket, releasable fastening means for closing said slit, a pair of spaced supporting straps having their lower ends fastened within the plait at the bottom of the pocket and extending upwardly over the pocket, and releasable fastening means for securing the top ends of the straps to the body the exterior of the back of the body portion and l0 portion adjacent the shoulders thereof.

cooperating therewith to provide a pocket, a slit ISAAC KIRSCHENBAUM. 

